as in aristocracy
the highest class in a society
a school founded to educate the children of the upper class
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Recent Examples of upper class
Basic birth control methods had been part of American life for a long time – as evidenced by a declining birth rate among the middle and upper class, starting in the middle of the 19th century.
—
Samira Mehta, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
But Achane is in the upper class of running backs.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
But, by the beginning of the Gilded Age in America in the 1870s, the sartorial code became the upper class’s go-to for the opera, debutante balls, and any of the fancy-dress parties thrown by socialites of the day.
—Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the coastal city of Mar del Plata thrived as a summer playground for Argentina’s upper class.
—Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upper class
Samira Mehta, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
But Achane is in the upper class of running backs.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
But, by the beginning of the Gilded Age in America in the 1870s, the sartorial code became the upper class’s go-to for the opera, debutante balls, and any of the fancy-dress parties thrown by socialites of the day.
—Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the coastal city of Mar del Plata thrived as a summer playground for Argentina’s upper class.
—Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upper class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upper class
Noun
-
Diana was born into the British aristocracy before marrying Prince Charles.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
-
The pair founded the company together in 2015; the row is a family squabble within the new AI aristocracy.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Performers in traditional dress portray Inca nobility, priests and warriors, and the rituals are conducted in Quechua, the language of the Inca Empire and still widely spoken in the Andes today.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
-
The Korean nobility of bygone eras simply had better taste.—
Lori Waxman,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
She’s being raised in upper crust Gilead society, tutored in a private girls’ school led by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) for a potential prosperous husband, specifically one in the upper ranks of the military.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
27 May 2026
-
To give the illusion of a real club for California’s upper crust, several celebrities make cameos as club guests, including Michael Phelps, Suni Lee, and Finneas O’Connell, all of whom play snobbish parodies of themselves.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The nobles and gentry—the billionaires of Tudor England—made fortunes from the reclaimed monastery lands and created a myth of Henry’s military strength and English pride.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upper class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upper%20class. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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